Nigerian artists emerged as the biggest winners at the 9th edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), which ended in Lagos on Sunday night, highlighting the country’s strong influence on the African music scene.
Global music star Burna Boy won the prestigious Album of the Year award for his latest project, No Sign of Weakness. He also shared the Best African Collaboration award with fellow Nigerian artist Shallipopi. Shallipopi further secured the Song of the Year award for his hit track Laho, which gained wide attention on social media across Africa.
The week-long AFRIMA event brought together music professionals, performers, and industry experts from across Africa and the diaspora. A diverse jury of music experts assessed entries before the final ceremony, which showcased Africa’s musical diversity and creativity.
One of the standout artists of the night was Rema, who won three major awards: Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, and Best African Artiste in RnB and Soul. His wins placed him among the top performers of the ceremony.
Other Nigerian winners included Yemi Alade, who won Best Soundtrack in a Movie, Series or Documentary for her song You Are, featured in the animated series Iyanu. Veteran rapper Phyno was named Best African Artiste in African Hip-Hop.
The awards also recognised emerging talents. Qing Madi was named Most Promising Artiste of the Year, while Chella won the African Fans’ Favourite award.
While Nigerian artists dominated the night, the ceremony celebrated talent from across the continent. Senegal’s Bakhaw Dioum won Song Writer of the Year, while Algeria’s DJ Moh Green claimed DJ of the Year. Ghana’s Wendy Shay won Best Female Artiste in West Africa, South Africa’s Nontokozo Mkhize won Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa, and Tanzania’s Juma Jux was named Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa.
Music analysts say the strong showing by Nigerian artists reflects the continued global appeal of Afrobeats. Burna Boy, widely regarded as one of the genre’s leading figures, continues to play a key role in taking African music to international audiences.
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